The veil of quarantine is beginning to lift. Every night this week after seven, cheerful individuals have taken to the beach across the street to swim, laugh, and play. The sound of traffic is starting to linger a bit longer into the evening. Fewer adult rollerbladers fly by during the middle of the day (myself included!).
I can’t wait to hit the gym, lay in a yoga studio, receive a massage, highlight my hair to match my current beach vibe, and work from a coffeeshop again soon. I long to share my smile with neighbors passing by, instead of having them circle me widely to keep their six feet. I have searched all direct flights from Ft. Lauderdale, ready to pounce on any deal to any destination.
As I prepare to bring my energy back out into the world, I want to reflect on and thank three habits that helped me to ground and create during this strange, strange lock-down. I will continue to follow these as the pace picks up.
Setting a Daily Intention with
Virtues Reflection Cards
I discovered the Virtues Reflection cards in a virtual business group, and they’ve changed my life. Each day as I sit down to work or write, I pull from the deck of one hundred virtues. The card that I pick is always the right card for that moment. Each virtue reawakens something deep inside me that desires to be called forth and practiced. Virtues unlock our Soul Excellence because they tap directly into our soul, our character. These cards have helped to infuse these long, meandering days with passion and purpose. You can learn more about The Virtues Project and purchase a life-changing deck of cards.
Here’s an example of a card that I pulled the other day that helped me to focus – which was it?
Reading Books
Like you, I binge-watched Tiger King at the start of the lock-down. Old seasons of Survivor and Top Chef also streamed around the house. Eventually, I got sick of the shows and bored with my list of podcasts, and returned to the simple pleasure of reading. I’ve read two books during this time that so beautifully connect with the mission of Soul Excellence, although I didn’t plan it that way or realize it until right now.
I read Ask and It Is Given by Abraham Hicks (Soul) and High-Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard (Excellence). One reminded me of my inner wisdom. The other reminded me of how to behave to create results. I cannot act without wisdom, and I cannot share that wisdom without action. In fact, in Ask and It Is Given, Hicks reminds: “The only thing that prevents you from receiving that which you desire is that your habit of thought is different from your desire.”
I documented all of my favorite lines from Ask and It Is Given here for you to copy/add to your Google Drive if you’d like the Cliff Notes version 😁
Starting a New Journaling Practice
I’ve always loved to journal–I packed over ten journals from the last seven years to move across the country with me. I occasionally scan through old journals to see how I’ve grown and how I continue to struggle in similar ways over the years (Ahem, perhaps new desires and habits are in order!).
I credit the BestSelf Co journal for helping me to achieve a lot of professional and personal success in the summer of 2018. I closed a large contract, looked and felt amazing, started on this path of Soul Excellence, and found love. That’s a lot to achieve in three months! The process of journaling kept me on track.
I purchased a new one of these journals and set three goals for the next three months. A few weeks in and I’ve deeply valued the morning and evening gratitude practice and the focus on daily wins and lessons learned. If you’re trying to accomplish something big as we re-emerge into world, I encourage you to find a journaling practice that keeps you on track and reminds you of the amazing progress you are making.
One Bonus Habit 🌅
These three habits have enabled me to feel more connected to my purpose and to take daily action toward what I desire. I can’t wait to see what the next three months will bring!
But there’s one bonus habit that’s been a daily dessert for me – watching the evening sunset every single night.
The sunsets here in Florida have been stunning over these past seven weeks. Here a few shots of the ones that took my breath away and reminded me to enjoy each moment and rest my head at night with a full heart ❤️.
